the best start in life - SDN Children's Services

the best start
in life
ANNUAL REPORT 2008

Mission
SDN Children’s Services is a not-for-profit
organisation committed to:
• providing high quality education and care
for children 0-5 years of age
• strengthening families, local communities
and the children’s services sector
Values
The SDN community is characterised by:
• passion
• commitment
• professionalism
• inclusion
• innovation
• integrity
• service
Vision
SDN Children’s Services works towards
a future where:
• the promise and potential of every child
is realised
• families and communities are strong
and caring
• children’s services are valued and
well resourced
mission, values, vision
SDN’s philosophy
All our people, services, programs and centres are
committed to achieving our mission and vision and
to expressing our values. We are a community of
learners where children and adults in all their
diversity are welcomed, respected and encouraged
to contribute and grow.
We believe learning is influenced by social and cultural
contexts, and happens when children and adults trust
others and want to solve problems. We work to make
our environments and workplaces safe, trustworthy and
inviting, filled with interesting materials, resources and
equipment that encourage exploration and a sense of
achievement for both children and adults.
We support families and communities because
children’s lives and development are enhanced when
their families and communities are strengthened. We
celebrate the strengths of every individual, group,
family and community and we believe we all contribute
to the well-being of the environments we live in.
We encourage on-going innovation by recording and
communicating the learning of children, adults, teams,
groups, families and communities; and we learn from
the experiences of others.
We work with other agencies and organisations,
sharing knowledge and skills, collaborating to influence
public policy and practices and partnering to better
fulfill our mission and vision.
We believe learning is
influenced by social
and cultural contexts,
and happens when
children and adults
trust others and want
to solve problems
2 the best start in life

conTENTs
Mission/ Values/ Vision/ Philosophy 2
Contents 3
Our geographic reach 4
What we achieved in 2007-08 5
President’s report 6
CEO’s message 8
SDN’s model of integrated services 11
contents
The promise and potential of
every child is realised 12
Families and communities are strong
and caring 16
Children’s services are valued and
well resourced 18
SDN is influential and well known 20
Research, Learning & Development 20
Committee Participation 20
SDN is well supported 22
Recognition of Service 22
Financial Highlights 23
Governance Report 24
Board of Directors 25
Acknowledgements 26
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 3

Our geographic reach
NSW Regions
Bathurst Regional
Upper Lachlan
Goulburn / Mulwaree
ACT
Eurobodalla
17
SDN Centres
1 Pyrmont
2 Ultimo
3 Paddington
4 Redfern
5 Surry Hills
6 Riverwood
7 Crows Nest
8 Newtown
9 Waterloo
10 Hurstville
11 Petersham
12 Woolloomooloo
13 Erskineville
14 Marrickville
15 Lidcombe
16 Mosman
SDN Regional Centres
17 Bathurst
18 Crookwell
19 Goulburn
20 Canberra
21 Batemans Bay
SDN Programs
9
6
Partnerships with Parents and
Stepping Stones
Poets Corner Preschool Project
PlayLinks
Child Care Links
Cumberland Resource Project and
Child and Family Resource Centre
Aboriginal Families Project
ISAs
Inner Sydney Inclusion
Support Agency (ISA)
Cumberland / Blacktown ISA
and Early Learning Program
Northern Sydney ISA
SCAN Region
Brighter Futures
Central Sydney
Inner West Sydney
South Sydney
NSW South Coast
18
3
19
20
21
Penrith
Camden
Liverpool
Blacktown
Baulkham Hills
Hornsby
Ku-ring-gai
Warringah
Pittwater
Manly
Ryde Willoughby
Parramatta
Lane
Cove
Holroyd
7
16
Hunters North
Hill Sydney Mosman
Auburn Canada
15 Bay
Fairfield
1 12
Strathfield
Burwood
Leichhardt 2
11 4 3
Woollahra
Ashfield Sydney
Marrickville City Waverly
14 13 9 5
8
Bankstown Canterbury
6
Botany
Rockdale Bay
Hurstville 10
Randwick
Kogarah
For contact details of our centres and programs,
please check our website www.sdn.org.au
Campbelltown
Sutherland
4 the best start in life

Achievements for 2007-08
For children, we...
Provided exemplary education and care for 2,874 children in our 21 centres
Made it possible for 2,371 children who are marginalised to be enrolled in mainstream services
Provided specialised early intervention for 121 children with disabilities
Supported the enrolment of 86 Aboriginal children into early childhood education and care,
10 through SDN Aboriginal scholarships
For families...
Assisted 562 families facing challenges
For services...
Provided advice and support to 1,134 individual children’s services
For staff…
Offered 15 Learning and Development scholarships
Provided 26 professional development workshops
Employed 493 permanent and long term casual staff
Overall...
We delivered 40 child, family and children’s services programs
Awarded 6 Government contracts...
The Stepping Stones project – a joint venture with 3 partners: Mudgin-Gal Women’s Service,
the Aboriginal Children’s Service and Connect Redfern
An Aboriginal Families Access project in Northern Sydney
Developing Innovative Service Models and Practices, a 4 year Early Intervention Program
Extending Early Childhood Intervention Initiative, a 4 year program
Early Literacy Project in Northern Sydney
Inner and Eastern Sydney Interagency project, a 3 year program
We secured funding to extend our progress with…
PlayLinks program
Child Care Links program at SDN Riverwood Child and Family Learning Centre
Stepping Stones
highlights
Other highlights in 2007-08...
• The Hon. Kevin Rudd, MP, Prime Minister of Australia,
spoke to his 2020 vision for child care at SDN’s
Erskineville Early Learning Centre, accompanied by
the Hon. Tanya Plibersek, MP, Minister for Housing
and the Status of Women, and Ms Maxine McKew,
Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education
and Child Care
• The Rt Hon. the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Alderman
Clover Moore, MP, unveiled a plaque commemorating
SDN’s first centre
• The Hon. Kevin Greene, MP, Minister for Community
Services (NSW), visited our Brighter Futures and
SCAN programs
• SDN centres were visited by Deputy Prime Minister
Julia Gillard’s policy advisor, and senior bureaucrats
in the Department of Education Employment and
Workplace Relations, and the Department of Families,
Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
• SDN staff were invited to make 22 presentations at
forums, conferences and universities
• We ran 2 conferences, 3 forums, a seminar and
6 workshops attended by 600 people from the
early childhood field
• We were asked to contribute to the policy debate
about the future of children’s and family services
• We held membership of influential committees.
None of which would have
been possible without the moral
and practical support of our
members, our funders, our
donors, and our partners. Thank
you to each one of you.
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 5

President’s report
Fruitful longevity for an organisation is unlikely without
a confident and practical commitment to foundational
values. For SDN, this equation has been demonstrable in
many ways throughout 2007-08. SDN has continued to
draw on a deep and long commitment to its elemental
values and philosophy to govern all it does, sometimes
in new ways, other times by reaffirming traditions.
We began in 1905 offering not just care, but a nurturing,
educating, and supportive environment for families and
children. The SDN Model of Integrated Services is illustrative
of how in the twenty-first century a seamless, tailored
approach is cultivated for each and all of these activities.
We have more than one-hundred years of not-for-profit
operation. Our credibility is not just about financial viability,
but wisely investing all available resources for the optimum
benefit of children and families. In this vein, a thorough
review of centres and their strategic positioning has been
a key undertaking of 2007-08. This systematic work will
continue to shape our thinking on the best use of our
inheritance into the future.
Our beginnings were in dedicated locations which continue
to provide the focus for our work. However, the domain of
SDN Children’s Services is not just a physical centre, but a
network of integrated partnerships with governments and
other like-minded organisations, operating responsively
alongside families. This partnership was evident in countless
ways, but it shows even more clearly this past year through
the number of requests by governments SDN has met to
offer effective and innovative ways of progressing Australia’s
investment in early childhood.
Partnership extends too across time periods. The unveiling
of the plaque commemorating the site of Sydney’s first long
day care centre at Woolloomooloo highlighted the
continuity of the past with the present. The generous
identification of the Fairfax family with SDN Children’s
Services – remarkable for its continuity since 1905 – has
found yet another manifestation through the Lady Fairfax
Visiting Scholar initiative.
Our inaugural scholar, Professor Peter Moss from the
University of London, will headline the 2008 SDN Conference.
This event, Rethinking Early Childhood Services, sums up these
connections through time – drawing on our proud heritage
to strengthen the present and shape our future.
Longevity is well-regarded at SDN, not just for its own sake,
although its virtues of dependability and experience can be
overlooked in our culture, but as a sign of a healthy and
vibrant organisation. The lengthy service of a number of
staff, remarked on in this report, as well as its Board
members, remains a testimony to, and source for, being
able to address the future intelligently and hopefully.
All of this requires of course strong leadership in the present.
Our CEO, Ginie Udy, continues to demonstrate not only
the necessary combination of creativity, boldness and
thoughtfulness; she also enjoys the partnership of an
outstanding leadership team. Along with a focused,
committed and experienced Board, SDN remains wellplaced
to ensure all children in its sphere have the best
start in life.
Darren Mitchell
President
Richard Pannell has retired as a Director during 2007-08.
Richard has faithfully served on the Board since 2003 and
in particular will be gratefully remembered for his leadership
role in SDN’s centenary celebrations in 2005. A lot of planning
and thought was involved and Richard provided the essential
dedication and creativity required to ensure this significant
milestone in our history was a great success. We are thankful
for Richard’s contribution to SDN’s work over more than
five years.
6 the best start in life

SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 7

CEO’s message
‘The best start in life’ because we are committed to
ensuring that people start life as well as they can. To us
this means providing environments where young children
are listened to, respected and given lots of opportunities
to play, to learn, and to find their own place in the world.
Our intention is that all children and adults at SDN are
as creative, confident, competent and caring as possible.
This aim permeates all our work at all levels, and connects
directly to our vision of a future where the promise and
potential of every child is realised.
During the past 12 months we strengthened our capacity
to deliver ‘the best start’ through the enhanced connection
of our mainstream services with our programs that provide
additional assistance to children and families. This model
of ‘integrated services’ is something we have been building,
documenting and evaluating for some time.
We have built on our well established integration of early
education and care with the linking of additional supports,
such as case management, parenting courses and special
education services – which all ‘value add’ for families. For
those children and families whose initial contact with SDN
is through our specialised services, we always work towards
their meaningful participation in mainstream services.
This focus on social inclusion is now a part of the Federal
Government’s vision for our country. We are pleased to have
contributed this year to national early childhood education
and care policy and especially to have welcomed the Prime
Minister to our Erskineville centre in April 2008.
Our model of integrated services, presented on page 11,
demonstrates the movement and connection between three
levels of service delivery. SDN provides services at all three
levels, and this ability to combine and integrate services is
what we are becoming increasingly known for. Doing this
work involves reaching out to other organisations,
agencies and local communities, and we acknowledge
that we do not work in isolation. The list on page 20 of
the committees, groups and networks with whom we work
gives an indication of the extent of these connections and
valuable relationships.
As 2008 ends, so too will our current three-year Strategic
Plan: A Community of Learners. We have made significant
progress in all of the five strategic goals we set ourselves:
• To demonstrate quality in all our services
• To demonstrate professionalism, caring and
inclusive practices
• To be influential, well known and well supported
• To be careful, responsible and wise in our use and
management of our resources
• For our staff to be clear about, accountable and
recognised for their roles.
Demonstrating quality in all our services and adopting
professional, caring and inclusive practices are our most
important goals. This is because the quality of the services
we provide brings us closer to our vision of a world where
the promise and potential of every child is realised, families
and communities are strong and caring, and children’s
services are valued and well resourced. The final three goals
of our Strategic Plan are means to this end.
Attracting and retaining strong and inspiring senior leaders who
have each fostered growth and strengthened our capacity
has been a significant feature of the past three years.
Kirsten Forrester (Director of Corporate Services) has ensured
that the organisation’s financial accountability and reporting,
our HR and OHS processes, the IT services and our property
all operate to ensure that service delivery at the ‘coalface’ is
enhanced. Her leadership, together with the Finance and
Strategic Planning committees of the Board, has contributed
to upgrades of our purchasing system, a review of staff
wages and conditions, and planning for future business
development. Indications of increased health in this area
include reducing work time lost to injuries across the
organisation, our being awarded a Cisco grant of $50,000
worth of IT equipment and services, and the Equal
Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency
nominating SDN for EOWA Business Achievement awards in
the categories of Minister’s Award and Outstanding Initiative
and/or Result for the Advancement of Women.
Kirsten and the five teams she supports have strengthened
the care, responsibility and wisdom with which we use and
manage our resources.
Rebecca Watson is Director of Early Childhood Education
and Care. Her clear intention of working with staff in
our centres to transform concurrently both physical
environments and curriculum experiences for the 2,874
children in our 21 centres has paid off. Government visitors
and families have noticed and commented on the high
quality we’ve achieved.
During the year we upgraded some of our buildings and/
or physical environments at our Northern Suburbs,
Riverwood, Mosman, Erskineville, Redfern and Marrickville
centres. Combined with the encouragement of the Centre
Support Managers to reflect on practices, physical ‘makeovers’
have created beautiful, peaceful and interesting
environments for children and staff alike.
Indications of the increasing recognition we have received
for our quality include: SDN being invited to the two day,
national symposium to develop an Early Years Learning
Framework; Rebecca Watson’s election to the Executive of
8 the best start in life

Early Childhood Australia, NSW Branch; and our Centre
Manager at Riverwood, Nicole Tytherleigh, being invited to
address a conference on early childhood education in Shanghai.
In our program area Kay Turner (Director of Child, Family
and Children’s Services Programs) and Julie Druce (Director
of Early Intervention and Family Support) have each lead
substantial trans-disciplinary teams to deliver highly regarded,
cutting edge programs for children with disabilities, Aboriginal
children, and children from families who are experiencing
poverty, homelessness, social isolation, mental illness or
domestic violence. These programs are of particular importance
to SDN’s mission and vision because working with children
and families who will most benefit from high quality early
childhood education and care has been a driving motivation
of the organisation since we began in 1905.
Together with Deb Mann’s leadership of our work with
Aboriginal peoples, our programs have improved the life
opportunities of more than 2,900 children.
Other indications of SDN’s increased influence and
recognition in the past year include Deb being asked to
participate in the formation of the national Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Early Childhood Skill Training Network;
Julie Druce’s paper on the use of the Family Strengths and
Needs Assessment tool in the (SDN Department of
Community Services’) Brighter Futures program being
accepted at a conference in America; and Kay Turner
securing one of only three grants made by the state
Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care for a four
year demonstration program on innovative service models
and practices.
All of these achievements enable us to continue operating
and making a difference for as many children and families
as possible.
The results for children, families, communities and children’s
services as a sector are described in more detail from page
12 of this report.
The organisation could not have achieved this level of
competence without the skill and commitment of all 493
staff members, the marketing and communications support
of our expanded Communications team, support from
our Research, Learning and Development staff and Senior
Research Fellow, Dr Joy Goodfellow, and the Board and its
associated committees.
It continues to be a pleasure for me to work with such
a committed, talented and supportive group of people,
whose expertise, oversight and strong governance is the
bedrock on which all our work rests.
I particularly thank President, Darren Mitchell for his clear
vision and leadership of the Board during the past three
years. Thank you also to Effie Bland, who keeps our history
alive and accessible for us, never letting us forget our roots
and how strong and vital they are.
I never cease to be amazed at the consistency and
continuity of SDN’s vision and work. I believe we continue
to deliver on our founders’ vision of supporting family life,
while rising to the constantly evolving challenges facing
a not-for-profit provider of this support in the 21st century.
I look forward to the next three years – the developments
for us as an organisation and the potential we can help
realise in others.
Ginie Udy
Chief Executive Officer
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 9

The Prime Minister visits SDN Erskineville
to talk about his child care vision
In recognition of the great work being done in SDN’s centres
to provide not only quality child care but an educational
program for all children, the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd,
spoke to his 2020 vision for child care at our Erskineville
Early Learning Centre.
Accompanied by the Minister for Housing and the Status of
Women, Tanya Plibersek, the Parliamentary Secretary for Early
Childhood Education and Child Care, Maxine McKew, and
a large media contingent, the Prime Minister spent an hour
touring the centre on April 17 with Ginie Udy and Centre
Manager Zoe Heaton, talking with children and staff.
The Prime Minister chose SDN because we successfully
combine long day care and preschool education in one
location. Commenting on our 100-year history he said:
“SDN is an organisation which has been going since 1905
and it has always had a particular commitment to the needs
of kids and littlies in Inner City Sydney.”
Recognition for 102 years of child
care provision
The Lord Mayor, Clover Moore MP, unveiled a plaque at 126
Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo on December 7, to commemorate
SDN’s first child care centre. 102 years ago to the day, the Sydney
Crèche Association opened for business in this terrace house.
Coincidentally, the family living at No.126 is a member of our
Woolloomooloo child care centre.
The ceremony began with Uncle Max Eulo of the Gadigal people
giving the Welcome to Country. Speakers included SDN President,
Darren Mitchell, the Lord Mayor, SDN Board member and Chair
of the History Committee, Effie Bland, and Department of
Housing Sydney Division General Manager, Kathy Roil.
Guests included relatives of first Vice-President Marguerite Fairfax
– Didie Alker, Dinie Bishop and Ruth Armytage AM – as well as
Councillor Robyn Kemmis from the City of Sydney Council,
Professor Deborah Brennan from the University of NSW, and
Dr Bronwyn Hanna from the NSW Department of Planning
Heritage Office. After the official ceremony, the celebrations
continued at our Woolloomooloo centre.
10 the best start in life

SDN’s model of integrated services
Children and families are referred to specialist services (e.g. speech
therapy, child psychology, case management) and are gradually
bridged into small group and mainstream services
Specialist
individual
support
Small facilitated groups
that model parent/child interaction strategies, provide
advice and information, and parent-to-parent support
Examples:
Stay and Play sessions
Parenting groups
Cooking on a budget
PlayLinks
Mainstream education and learning for children and adults
at SDN early childhood education and care centres and toy libraries.
Children and families enrol in these
services and are bridged into increasing
levels of support if needed
Opportunities to participate in the community life of these services
All professionals from a range of disciplines work collaboratively, from a strengths-base
and within the SDN Child and Family Learning Framework
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 11

The promise & potential of every child is realised
SDN provided exemplary education and care to 2,874
children in our 21 centres.
We made it possible for 2,371 children who are
marginalised to be enrolled in mainstream settings
through the following programs:
799 Inclusion Support Subsidy Program/Flexible Support
Pool funding
1,330 SCAN
198 Brighter Futures
22 Child Care Links
12 Poet’s Corner
10 Aboriginal scholarships
We provided specialised early intervention for 121 children
with disabilities or learning difficulties through:
61 Early Learning Program
60 Playlinks
We reached another 435 children through child and
family programs:
246 Child and Family Resource Centre at Granville
155 Partnerships with Parents program
34 Stepping Stones playgroups
With the 2,874 children in our centres, and the 2,927
children in our programs, SDN made a difference to
5,801 children during 2008.
‘The best start in life’ is not a given; for many children a
quality early learning environment is beyond their families’
reach. Achieving the Federal Government’s goals of universal
access to 15 hours of early childhood education a week
for all four year olds, and for all Aboriginal children to
participate in early childhood education, is still for the
future. SDN, however, is already doing this, albeit on a
much smaller scale. So it is with this knowledge that we
have been evolving and differentiating what we offer
children, families and communities in the delivery of early
education and care.
Our centres: Three education models tailored to our
children’s and families’ different needs
1. All of our 21 centres offer exemplary early childhood
education and care, supported by qualified Early
Childhood Teachers.
2. Additionally, some centres – for example, SDN Riverwood
Child and Family Learning Centre – provide additional
support, such as scholarships for families who are
marginalised, parenting education, and professional
development for staff, all within a community hub
framework.
3. Yet a third type of centre offers a service that is more
responsive to local conditions. An example is our Redfern
centre where 10 Aboriginal children are supported
through scholarships and where we have been able to
employ two Aboriginal child care workers to be a link
with Aboriginal children and families.
The following case studies examine these three models of
early education and care.
12 the best start in life

SDN Erskineville Early Learning Centre
In last year’s Annual Report, we talked about SDN being
a community of learners, where centre staff and teachers
support children in their learning with honour and respect.
We also talked about the emphasis we place on children
developing ‘social capital’ with the communities in which
they live. At SDN Erskineville, these qualities are exemplified
by its garden transformation that occurred over nine weeks
last Spring. Centre Manager, Zoe Heaton, talks about how
the renovation was a learning experience and enriched
everyone’s life.
‘When new children join the centre it’s fascinating to
watch their peers guide them around the new garden,
giving instructions and advice on how the space is used.
One example would be that the sand stays in the sandpit.
This level of involvement doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a lot
of conversations around expectations and respecting space.
It’s about giving children the opportunity to explore and
take some risks. The children also appreciate that the space
is part of the centre community and is shared by children,
families and the staff.
When we were planning the playground, the children
researched what plants and equipment they wanted.
We showed them photos and gave them stickers to put
on pictures. The families were invited to comment also.
Interestingly, the children moved away from bright plastic,
choosing natural materials such as sandstone and wooden
sleepers. The old playground wasn’t an inviting space.
Now it has active and passive spaces, large gross motor
spaces, and is very calm, with green plants and neutral
soft fall reflecting the centre’s external colour.
The children have respect for the garden because they were
part of the process. They were fascinated from day one,
watching, asking questions, talking with the landscapers –
and developing relationships with them. When a tree had
to be removed, the children requested that it be made into
tables and chairs. So we now have six cross-sections of trunk
grouped around a larger ‘table’, which they use often. Now,
a lot of things they used to do indoors they take outside to
do, for example painting.
It might have been different had the garden been
transformed while they were away over the summer.
Now they feel involved and they’ve contributed. They
don’t run on the garden beds. When heavy rain earlier
this year exposed some irrigation lines in the ground, the
children didn’t try to lift them – which I think reflects the
respect they have for the environment.
There were, of course, times when we had to get away
from the mess while the renovation was happening. Twice
a day we went on mini visits to the park opposite the centre.
Occasionally we also walked the couple of blocks to our
sister centre at Linthorpe Street where everyone was very
welcoming. And on one memorable day we went to David
Bitton’s café down the road where he ‘hosted’ us all to
babychinos, pancakes and strawberries.
The renovation has strengthened the relationships between
our staff and families. At the end of the process our very
supportive families shouted us all dinner.’
SDN is grateful to the late Lady (Nancy) Fairfax AO, OBE for
her generous donation that contributed to this renovation.
The children have
respect for the
garden because they
were part of the
process
Experiential / contextual learning #1:
At Erskineville
The 3-5s in the Explorers’ Room have been fascinated
for some time now with restaurants and cafes, and have
set up a café in the room.
They’ve also been a little too keen on playing with
the overhead projector. Their teacher, Amy, let them
know that if they continued to flick the on/off switch
needlessly, the machine would break. When it did, she
discussed with them what they could do to replace it.
The children decided they’d raise the money themselves
to buy another one. They designed and distributed
an invitation for families and friends to come to their
‘restaurant’. On the day, the children played the role of
waiters and the money they raised was sufficient to buy
another overhead projector. Since that time, not one
child flicks the on/off switch unnecessarily!
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 13

SDN Riverwood Child and Family
Learning Centre
SDN Riverwood Child and Family Learning Centre exemplifies
our second model. The centre is one of only 25 organisations
nationally to run the FaHCSIA-funded program Child Care
Links (CCL), which uses child care centres in disadvantaged
areas as community hubs to link families with young
children to local support services, and to strengthen
community networks. It reinforces our approach that
mainstream services can provide specialist support to
children and families.
Through the CCL-funded scholarships, 12 vulnerable families
experiencing pressures and challenges have been provided
with high quality education and care – for $5 a day. Families
can meet and talk with each other and with experienced
staff and agency professionals. We also offer mentoring and
training opportunities to local early childhood professionals.
‘The possibilities are endless and incredibly exciting’ says
Nicole Tytherleigh, Centre Manager and CCL Manager.
‘After just 18 months of the program there has been
widespread recognition and appreciation by our families and
the local community of the importance of early childhood
education, children’s capacities and staff’s professional skills.
‘The feedback from scholarship families has been
overwhelming, with most expressing the deepest gratitude.
Many acknowledge that without financially-supported child
care they would be in a very difficult position – with children
unable to access care, loss of family function, and extreme
financial and emotional stresses.’
The Riverwood team provides an exceptional early
childhood learning environment. They research, implement
and document a dynamic curriculum based on children’s
experiences, relationships and interests. In June they held an
‘art expo’ at the local library, where the children prepared
and presented their art works as a result of their research
into the plight of gorillas. ‘The resulting work resonated with
the skill and competence of the group of young researchers
and art-makers and was admired and appreciated by children,
families, library staff and members of the community.’
It received so much attention that another community
group decided it was a good idea and followed suit.
Another tool Nicole employed to promote linkages with
families, raise the profile of children’s capacities and extend
the skill set of the classroom educators was a visual arts
program run by a local artist. ‘Jacqui revolutionised art for
all of us. As the idea was to create a sustainable art program
our staff also needed to learn the theory and the practice.
Jacqui held a staff workshop one night where we explored
creating images we knew fascinated the children – such as
pears, Siamese fighting fish, sharks, spiders, bark and twigs.
The next day, staff used the techniques with small groups
of children, overseen by Jacqui, guiding the children in
sophisticated art-making techniques, using authentic art
materials. The art spaces remained in situ for several days
with children continuing to engage with the same passion
and intensity. It was so inspirational we’re planning family
art workshops and an external art exhibition in the local
community later this year.’
The centre has received many visitors during the year,
including a policy advisor from Deputy Prime Minister Julia
Gillard’s office and senior federal and state bureaucrats. We
also hosted a delegation of early childhood teachers from
Shanghai, through the Australia China Cultural Exchange,
who were so impressed they have invited Nicole to Shanghai
later this year to present at their Early Childhood conference.
The feedback from scholarship families has
been overwhelming, with most expressing the
deepest gratitude
Riverwood doesn’t operate in isolation. It is surrounded
and supported by numerous communities, including SDN,
the local families and businesses, and the early childhood
professional community. Visitors come to SDN Riverwood
to learn about the capacity of a mainstream child care
centre that is well resourced, has visionary leadership, and
where the curriculum sinks roots into the local community,
reflecting a diversity of families. It is an example of our
integrated model where children and families who otherwise
wouldn’t have the opportuntity to benefit from early
education and care have the chance to do so.
14 the best start in life

SDN Redfern Child and Family
Learning Centre
2008 was the first full year of the Vincent Fairfax Family
Foundation Aboriginal Scholarships Program, based at our
Redfern Centre. The donation funds early education and
care for 8 Aboriginal children. Supporting the work of the
Aboriginal Scholarships Program is funding from the Jenour
Foundation, which contributed to the staff’s professional
development and the purchase of books to aid literacy
development.
On February 13 2008, children from Redfern Child and
Family Learning Centre visited Redfern’s Aboriginal Community
Centre on Eveleigh Street for the National Apology to the
Stolen Generations. Accompanied by staff Izelda and Frida,
the children explored the centre where activities for children
were set up and the apology was on the big screen. They
were asked to contribute to a Sorry poster, which they did
with a hand print and by writing their name underneath.
Liz Farry, Centre Manager, says it was important for SDN’s
Centre to be part of the day’s events in the community. ‘The
children who attended were those who were having the
most conversations about the National Apology. The other
children watched the apology here at the centre and asked
lots of difficult-to-answer questions.’ The children made a
Sorry poster for the SDN centre that hangs in the hallway.
Izelda is one of two Aboriginal child care workers employed
at Redfern. Although growing up elsewhere, Izelda feels at
home here. ‘I like being part of the Aboriginal community.
I feel connected in Redfern. So when I saw the ad, I applied.
The position had been filled, but while I was here I felt really
good about it. When that person left a short while later,
I got a call and now I work here 5 days a week.’
Izelda and another child care worker have been taking
a small group of children to one of the SDN-run Stepping
Stones playgroups at the Community Centre as part of
developing links within the community. Liz says: ‘This
particular playgroup is for the children of parents attending
a parenting course upstairs’. She adds that excursions have
become a regular feature of SDN Redfern’s curriculum and
they have strengthened the children’s presence in and
relationships with the local community.
Redfern exemplifies today’s focus in early education and care:
it is no longer just about the child but the whole community.
it is no longer just
about the child but the
whole community
Experiential / contextual learning #2:
At Redfern
In late May, a fire in our Brighter Futures office on
the floor above the Redfern centre closed the whole
building for one week. It happened at night, no one
was there, and the local fire brigade had everything
under control in no time. When the children returned
they were focused on the fire, asking lots of questions
and continuing, weeks later, to be fascinated, doing
dramatic role play around burning buildings. As a result,
Maryam and Min took six children on an excursion to
the Redfern Fire Station in late June to visit Chief
Fireman Steve and his team.
An earlier, pre-fire visit hadn’t elicited much of a
connection between the ‘firies’ and the children, but
this time it was different. This time both parties had
a bond. As Liz Farry, Centre Manager, explains ‘they
had that conversation about “we put your fire out”.’
The children got to hold the big fire hose and the
firemen turned on the water. They also turned on the
siren, and allowed the children to try on their uniforms,
sit in the driver’s seat in the fire truck, and gave them
balloons and show bags about fire safety. ‘They were so
accommodating. It means a lot to the families as well.
One father has asked if his child can be included if we
go again. It’s generated much talking about fire fighters,
their job, and what they did for us.’
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 15

Families and communities are strong & caring
SDN provides 8 family capacity-building services for
562 families:
277 supported in 4 Brighter Futures Early Intervention
Programs
138 Child and Family Resource Centre, Granville
12 Child Care Links at Riverwood
135 Partnerships with Parents Program and Poet’s Corner
Preschool Project
SDN has a long history of working with disadvantaged
families and communities from our earliest days
103 years ago.
Our current approach to integrated service delivery has
grown out of our evaluation of the Parent Resource Program
and, more recently, an investigation of the success factors
of our Family Resource Centre in Granville. Both evaluations
demonstrated that working in an integrated way, across
professional disciplines and from a mainstream base,
focusing on families while still being child-centred were
all contributing factors to enhanced family functioning and
better outcomes for children. Significantly these findings
are backed by international research, which also shows that
early intervention programs that use multiple interventions
work better than those using a single intervention strategy.
SDN’s family capacity-building services work closely with
families at all levels of our model of integrated services.
For example, at the Child and Family Resource Centre in
Granville our work with families ranges from giving advice
about play and play materials (base/ mainstream/
preventative level), to modeling play and interactions,
coaching, holding workshops, facilitating connections
and exchanging information (middle/ supportive level),
to individual family support (top/ intervention level).
With our Brighter Futures program we facilitate the
placement of children into a centre (base level) while
providing case management to families in crisis, organising
other specialist support services they may need (top level).
Three examples of our program work follow.
The Brighter Futures Early
Intervention Program
Results for families from working with our Brighter Futures
staff include:
• reducing the likelihood of family problems escalating into
crisis within the child protection system
• improving parent-child relationships and the capacity of
parents to build positive relationships and raise stronger,
healthier children
• breaking intergenerational cycles of disadvantage
• achieving long term benefits for children through
improving educational outcomes and employment
chances.
Brighter Futures South Sydney is well received by
families according to Area Manager Lynne Bennett:
‘In June, we had four young women arrive at the front
door of our new office and want to self refer as they had
heard in the community from friends and professionals
that we are running a great service. One young woman
said that her friend, who is in the (Brighter Futures) program,
felt welcomed, supported and included in assisting her
to change the way she does her parenting. It is really
encouraging to hear that families say we are helping
them, and that they feel respected and involved in
making changes for themselves and their children.’
16 the best start in life

Linking up services for children & families
The Family Resource Worker, based at our Granville site, is employed
to work across three programs – PlayLinks, the Early Learning
Program and the Child and Family Resource Centre. This role has
helped families to access more of our programs. Here, Family
Resource Worker Megan Turner talks about how one mother
and her children have been supported.
‘Aida* joined PlayLinks because she was worried that one of her
children, Sophie* (3 ½), wasn’t talking much and was difficult to
understand. She’d heard about PlayLinks from another organisation
that hadn’t been able to help. She started coming to our groups
with Sophie and her youngest child, Annie* (1 ½).
Each week we were able to show Aida strategies to use to help Sophie
with her communication and her social interactions. We also talked to
her about concerns we had for Annie, who was having trouble moving
from one activity to another and was having angry outbursts.
Over time we became concerned about Aida. Sometimes she
seemed frustrated and appeared to be having difficulty coping.
During this time, she discovered that she was expecting another
baby. This pregnancy had come at a very difficult time for the family
and we were the first people she’d told. As the PlayLinks Family
Resource Worker I offered to visit Aida at home between PlayLinks
groups to help her plan for the arrival of the new baby.
Aida and the children made substantial progress. I worked with her
on strategies to lessen the stresses at home and to build capacity
to cope. She also worked with the PlayLinks Speech Pathologist to
build Sophie’s and Annie’s communication skills.
Aida has now decided to join SDN’s Early Learning Program for
more intensive early intervention. With the support of SDN staff,
Annie will start child care before the arrival of the new baby.
Aida has realised that the children are more relaxed when she
is more relaxed.
SDN’s Child and Family Resource Centre held an Open Day that was
advertised to the PlayLinks families. Aida attended the day with her
children and joined the toy library. Now she is attending the Child
and Family Resource Centre’s Stay and Play sessions – and I support
her as needed. She has invited her sister to come with her, and she
has joined the Child and Family Resource Centre too. Coming to the
toy library and Stay and Play is now something that they share
together as sisters.’
* not their real names
‘Stepping Stones’: A new step for SDN
This innovative program began in February 2008. Here,
SDN’s Deb Mann, who has been seconded from her
position as SCAN Manager to establish and run the
Stepping Stones project, talks about the program.
‘Stepping Stones gives children and adults
opportunities to make small changes that lead to
bigger things. Children are stepping from home to
small playgroups and from there to a range of early
learning environments. Adults are stepping from home
to a small learning environment and from there to
running their own playgroups.’
The project has three parts: playgroup facilitation
training for young Aboriginal women in inner Sydney,
based at the Alexandria Park Community School; and
a supported playgroup at the Aboriginal Children’s
Service in Redfern which, on parents’ request,
expanded to include a unit in parenting. Significantly,
Eora TAFE provided this through their TAFE Certificate
111 course, offering an entry point for young parents
to move onto further education.
The Aboriginal Playgroup Facilitation course
‘This course has given 12 women an opportunity to
develop their confidence in working with groups of
young children. It’s enabled them to gain knowledge
and experience in running playgroups, as well as first
aid and other community support skills.’
The course, held at Connect Redfern Community
Centre at Alexandria Park Community School,
is a partnership between SDN, Mudgin-Gal and
Connect Redfern.
‘We have worked collectively with community
educators and mentors to adapt the course, and the
graduates now have the skills to mentor young women
and others in their community.’
In a major endorsement of the success of the program,
the school has now decided to employ one of the
graduates to run an Aboriginal playgroup.
Children’s Playgroups
A supported play session was provided for local children
in conjunction with the Aboriginal Children’s Service in
Redfern and Bankstown TAFE. ‘Being able to engage
Aboriginal child care workers for the playgroups has
provided meaningful links for the children, and the
involvement of the Bankstown teacher and students
has enabled high staff to child ratios and created a
really dynamic learning environment.’
One of Stepping Stones’ aims is to develop better
connections and links between local service networks,
especially between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal
groups, enabling a sharing of knowledge between
the women, the teachers, the community and SDN.
To this end the program offers Early Childhood
Scholarships to support the enrolment of Aboriginal
children in our centres. ‘Another way we develop
better links is through small group visits, such as
when children from the SDN Redfern Child and
Family Learning Centre come to play with us.’
It’s great to see families and communities being
strengthened through this project.
Stepping Stones gives children and adults
opportunities to make small changes
that lead to bigger things
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 17

Children’s services are valued & well resourced
SDN’s Centre Support Managers as
‘critical friends’
1,134 individual early childhood services received
support from SDN in the year to June 30, 2008.
Of this 1,134 the contribution of different programs
is as follows:
822 Inclusion Support Agencies
63 Cumberland Resource Project
28 Early Learning Program
2 Northern Sydney Aboriginal Families Project
107 Supporting Children with Additional Needs (SCAN)
112 Brighter Futures Child Care Resource Officers
The importance of the ‘critical friend’
With both our centre work and our programs we value the
role of a ‘critical friend’. This is a professional relationship
that is essential in supporting leadership, reciprocal and
collaborative learning and putting our vision into practice.
In some instances this may be mentoring (as with the
following case study). Elsewhere, it takes a more distant
but still supportive role through providing advice or
connections. This is a role fulfilled by our Centre Support
Managers but also, in varying guises in our programs, by
the Inclusion Support Facilitators, the Child Care Resource
Officers and the SCAN educators. We believe such a role is
critical to service quality.
Centre Support Manager Michelle Richardson and Centre
Manager Ursula Druery met 10 years ago at SDN. For most
of that time Michelle has been a mentor to Ursula, initially
as her Centre Manager when Ursula was a new teacher.
Now in more senior roles, they reflect on the role of mentor
and how it has benefited not just themselves but also their
peers, staff and the centre children.
Soon after her return from maternity leave, Ursula
considered how each of the centre’s rooms was functioning.
After initial feedback from staff, they decided to focus on
their work with infants and toddlers. ‘Our 0-3 room was
challenging staff and children. It’s a wide age range for one
room, despite being a large space. I consulted Michelle and
also talked about it more with staff.’
As Michelle adds: ‘The staff were asking questions about
why things weren’t working in the way they had hoped and
planned. Ursula, myself, and the staff critically reviewed the
way the environment was set up. What was it offering
children, did it invite children to explore and play? Further,
we examined our attitudes and expectations of the
children. Did we support their independence? What
were their interests?’
Says Ursula: ‘It was about engaging with even the youngest
children as individuals and really knowing them, as well as
their families, and feeding that level of detail into the room
environment and the program. I asked each staff member to
contact one or two families to gain that knowledge and to
write about it. Interestingly, one staff member was initially
hesitant about this process because she found the child
challenging, but as she found out more about the family her
relationship changed with the child as well as with the family.’
‘As Ursula had just returned from 18 months maternity leave
I encouraged her to visit SDN Riverwood to experience and
discuss further possibilities with the Riverwood team.’
As Ursula notes: ‘As a result of physically reorganising the
0-3s’ room, as well as the professional development journey
the staff have undergone, there’s a renewed sense of
purpose and calm in the room.’
18 the best start in life

This year Michelle began quarterly meetings with
her four centre managers together, to be held in turn
at each one’s centre. ‘It’s a nice opportunity for the
managers to professionally network, debrief, reflect, and
question their practice. Relationships are built on trust
and respect. I can feel that when we meet. We can
talk openly about what challenges them.’
SDN mentors supporting beyond our
own services
1. Child Care Resource Officers, Brighter
Futures program
SDN developed the role of the Child Care Resource Officer
(CCRO) to work within the four Brighter Futures Early
Intervention Programs we operate in Central Sydney, Inner
West, South Sydney, and Batemans Bay/ Moruya. This role
is unique to SDN. So effective has it been that we were
featured in a special report in DoCS’s Inside Out magazine.
Our CCROs assist children from vulnerable families into
mainstream centres and provide support, training and
resources for centre staff. The role of the CCRO is very
important because centres and their staff are crucial to
the children and families achieving the goals identified
in their case plans. It’s reassuring, especially for the non-SDN
centres with whom we partner, to have the extra back-up
of the CCROs.
2. Inclusion Support Facilitators
Our 24 Inclusion Support Facilitators (ISFs) work with
federally-funded long day care, family day care, before
and after school care, vacation care, occasional care, and
in-home care services. They support these services in various
ways, including helping them to assess their hopes for their
centre and how best to achieve their goals. They also assist
services who are including children with ongoing high
support needs to apply for extra funding. Our ISFs also
offer individual coaching for service staff to build their skills
developing programs for children with disabilities.
In part because of the relative newness of these roles, we
recently conducted an evaluation of SDN’s three Inclusion
Support Agencies and the role of our Inclusion Support
Facilitators 1 . In 2007 we undertook an investigation of the
role of the Child Care Resource Officer 2 .
The results of both research projects told us that:
1. early childhood staff who have a mentor/ supporter
(who uses strengths-based approaches) are more
satisfied with their roles
2. the mentor relationship increased their confidence
3. they had taken actions or made changes to their
program as a result of that relationship.
The research also found that organisational, structural
and management factors are critical to the utilisation of
strengths-based approaches that build on staff’s own goals.
SDN Conferences
Another way we support the learning and development of
children’s services and their staff is by holding conferences,
public lectures and workshops. Each SDN division ran a
significant external learning and development event, this
year attended by 600 people across the four events.
One example of this was the SCAN conference ‘Many
Journeys: One Heart - Embracing and valuing cultural diversity
through collective approaches in early childhood settings’.
Held at the State Library of NSW on August 15, it brought
together a range of Elders, community leaders, children, and
educators from Aboriginal and Culturally and Linguistically
Diverse backgrounds to demonstrate ways of embracing and
valuing cultural diversity through collective approaches in
early childhood settings. There was an overwhelmingly
positive response from both the participants and the
presenters. As one person put it:
‘The concept about sharing power and responsibilities and
being encouraged to take responsibility was very empowering’.
1 Cumming & Wong, 2008
2 Goodfellow & Bibby, 2007
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 19

SDN is influential and well known
Research, Learning and Development
10 Papers given at state and national conferences
9 Workshops, lectures and colloquia presented
8 Publications and position papers written
8 Research projects undertaken
15 Staff scholarships offered
2 University students – Kate Stanbury and Kylie
Mepham – awarded SDN scholarships
30 University students offered practice placements
at SDN centres
555 Staff attendances at L&D internally organised events
214 staff attendances at externally organised events
‘SDN has a long history of providing professional learning
and development opportunities for its staff. We also have
a history of conducting research as a means of validating,
reflecting on and improving our work’, says Dr Sandie Wong,
SDN’s Research & Evaluation Manager. Over the past year a
number of research projects have been completed reflecting
the growth of a research culture within SDN. We’ve also
presented this work at a number of professional forums across
the country. This research affirms our ‘best practices’ as well
as showing us where we need to change. The results of our
research enable us to contribute more authoritatively and
informatively to public policy and best practice in the sector.
For a complete list of publications and conferences, see right
and page 21.
Committees/ Advisory Groups
National Committees/Reference Groups:
• FaHCSIA National Promising Practices Profile Reference Group
• National Child Care Management System Reference Group
• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Early
Childhood Skill Training Network
• DEEWR/Monash University national symposium on
the Early Years Learning Framework
University Boards/Committees:
• Macquarie University Institute of Early Childhood,
Institute Advisory Board
• Macquarie University Children and Families Research
Centre Management Committee
State organisation Boards/Committees:
• Early Childhood Australia, NSW Branch Executive
• NSW Family Services Board of Directors
• Forum of Non-Government Agencies Working
Together for NSW Working Group
• DoCS 1:4 Industry Reference Group
• NSW Brighter Futures Lead Agency Forum
Regional Advisory Committees:
• DoCS Metro Central Multicultural Advisory Group
• Families NSW Project Management Groups in three
DoCS regions
• DADHC Early Childhood Intervention Coordination
Program Greater Western Sydney Area Committee
and six local area committees
• Northern Sydney Region Reconciliation Network
Other organisations’ project reference groups:
• Ethnic Child Care, Family and Community Services
Co-operative CALD Project
• KU St George and Sutherland Inclusion Support Agency
• Baulkham Hills, Holroyd, Parramatta Migrant Resource
Centre Early Intervention Project
• Early Ed Northern Sydney Supporting Children with
Additional Needs Project
• Relationships Australia Ryde/Hunters Hill CALD
Parenting Project
• Families NSW Supporting Aboriginal Families Transition
from Home to School
• Bondi Beach Cottage Management Committee
Publications
• Goodfellow, J. & Bibby, A., 2007. The Child Care Resource
Office (CCRO) role within SDN’s Brighter Futures Program:
initial perceptions of the role. Sydney
• Goodfellow, J. & Torban, L., 2008. Supporting vulnerable
children attending children’s services on the pathway to
a brighter future. Insideout, March / April, pp.16-17.
• Wong, S. & Cumming, T., 2008. Breaking down the
barriers: an investigation into the factors that impact
upon the successful inclusion of children with disabilities
in Family Day Care. Sydney.
• Wong, S. & Turner, K., 2008. SDN Child and Family
Resource Centre. Promising Practice Profile. Published on
the Communities and Families Clearinghouse Australia,
Australian Institute of Family Studies website.
• Wong, S. & Waterford, S., 2008. SDN Partnership with
Parents Program. Promising Practice Profile. Published on
the Communities and Families Clearinghouse Australia,
Australian Institute of Family Studies website.
Position Papers/ Submissions
• Advancing the education revolution.
• Enhancing children’s life chances: what works and why?
• SDN’s proposed model for increasing the quality of early
childhood services and their capacity to include
marginalised children.
• Submission to the Wood Special Commission of Inquiry
into Child Protection.
• Australia’s children: safe and well; A National Framework
for Protecting Children.
• Service Support Plans: A discussion paper.
• Post Implementation Review of Inclusion Support Agencies.
20 the best start in life

Conference Presentations
• Chang, G., Turner, K., & Wong, S., 2007. Putting the
‘childhood’ back into early intervention: images of the
child and play underpinning SDN Early Learning Program.
At Early Childhood Intervention Australia Inc., (NSW
Chapter), 22nd annual conference. Sydney, 5-6
November 2007.
• Cumming, T., 2008, Researching practice: exploring
strengths-based approaches to inclusion support. At Fifth
Family Strengths Conference, Community engagement:
a rewarding business. Newcastle, 16-28 April 2008.
• Goodfellow, J., 2008. Breathing life into the storied
responses of disadvantaged families. At Inaugural
Conference on Narrative Inquiry, Narrative inquiry:
breathing life into talk, text and the visual. University
of Wollongong, 22-23 February 2008.
• Goodfellow, J. & Wong, S., 2008. ‘The development
of SDN’s curriculum framework: bringing cohesion
between theory, research and practice within an
ecological context.’ At Australian Research in Early
Childhood Education, 15th annual conference. Frankston,
Victoria 21-23 January 2008.
• Izmir, G., Udy, G. & Walk, M., 2007. Partnerships in
practice: NGO collaboration in delivering better early
intervention services. At 11th Australasian Conference on
Child Abuse and Neglect, Voices calling for action, Gold
Coast, 30 October-2 November 2007.
• Okunbor, C. & Mann, D., 2007. Supporting the inclusion
of children with additional needs from dual target groups.
At Early Childhood Intervention Australia Inc., (NSW
Chapter), 22nd Annual Conference. Sydney, 5-6
November 2007.
• Turner, K., 2008. Integrated services: making it happen
for young children with disabilities and their families. At
National Disabilities Services, Annual Conference “Making
it happen: the new deal”. Sydney, 18-19 February 2008.
• Udy, G., Wong, S., Watson, R., Druce, J., Turner, K. &
Mann, D., 2007. Insights into working collaboratively
across the disciplines within universal and integrated
models of early childhood service delivery. At Marymead
Child & Family Centre, What works for children
conference. Canberra, 29-30 August 2007.
• Udy, G., Turner, K., Tytherleigh, N., Watson, R. & Wong,
S., 2008. Being and creating community: mainstream
early childhood services as sites for social inclusion and
civic engagement. At World Education Forum, Being,
becoming and belonging – the economic imperative in
education. Adelaide, 26-28 June 2008.
• Wong, S., 2008. Linking research / policy / practice:
innovations and ideas. At Australian Research Alliance for
Children and Youth, International research collaboration
on early childhood education and care workshop.
University of NSW, Sydney, 21-22 February 2008.
• Wong, S. & Cumming, T., 2008. Rewards and challenges
of transdisciplinary play-based early childhood
intervention: an evaluation of SDN’s Family Resource
Centre and PlayLinks programs. At Australian Research
in Early Childhood Education, 15th annual conference.
Frankston, Victoria 21-23 January 2008.
• Wong, S. & Turner, K., 2007. Proving and improving:
Reflections on / learnings from an ‘embedded’ research
team’s evaluation of SDN’s Child, Family and Children’s
Services Programs. At Australian Association for Research
in Education, Research Impacts: proving or improving.
Perth, 25-29 November 2007.
Workshops
• Cumming, T., Turner, K. & Wong, S., 2007. Using strengths
based approaches in practice. At NSW Inclusion Support
Agencies’ statewide training day. Sydney, 18 July 2007.
• Pearson, J., Hamilton, J. & Martin, K., 2008. Inclusive
practice. At Aboriginal Early Childhood Services Support
Unit and NSW Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Early
Childhood Sector Advisory Group Incorporated, Annual
NSW Aboriginal Early Childhood conference: Boori
Pathways. Wollongong, 29 April-1 May 2008.
Lecture / colloquia / presentations / panel
• Chang, G., Turner, K. & Wong, S., 2008. Putting
the ‘childhood’ back into early intervention: images
of the child and play underpinning SDN Early
Learning Program. Royal Institute for Deaf and
Blind Children, Staff professional development day.
Sydney, 28 April 2008.
• Turner, K., 2008. Assessment in play-based
settings. Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie
University, Lecture to third year students.
Sydney, 11 March 2008.
• Turner, K. & Chang, G., 2008. Play-based early
childhood intervention. Institute of Early Childhood,
Macquarie University, Lecture to third year students.
Sydney, 11 March 2008.
• Tytherleigh, N., 2008. Giving All Children a Chance to
Achieve: Best Practice that Leads to Lasting Benefits:
Panel Discussion on Implications for Practice and
Practitioners, Lady Gowrie Child Centre, Sydney,
27 May 2008.
• Whitty, A. & Watson, R., 2008. Beyond milestones
and routines. Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie
University, Colloquium. Sydney, 20 May 2008.
• Wong, S., 2008. History(ies) of childhood. Institute of
Early Childhood, Macquarie University, Lecture to first
year students. Sydney, 10 March 2008.
• Wong, S., 2008. Researching practice: working as
an embedded researcher within an early childhood
organisation. Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie
University, Colloquium. Sydney, 18 March 2008.
• Wong, S., 2008. SDN Children’s Services: an early
childhood organisation working with children, families
and communities. Institute of Early Childhood,
Macquarie University, Lecture to Master of Early
Childhood students. Sydney, 29 May 2008.
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 21

SDN is well supported
What makes all our work this year possible? Significantly,
we have long term staff and supportive families, we have
substantial government funding and donations, we have
good governance, and careful monitoring and reporting of
our financial situation. Some of these are behind-the-scenes
and are not obvious to those benefiting from our services.
However, none of our work would be possible without
these strong internal factors.
Recognition of Service to June 30 2008
We particularly recognise the following staff for their many
years of commitment to our shared vision and desire for the
best start in life for children:
30 years and over
Mrs Robin Hurst Bathurst 34
Mrs Peggy Lane Marrickville 32
25 years and over
Miss Anne Irving Northern Suburbs 28
Miss Megan Brophy Paddington 28
20 years and over
Mrs Patricia Lumsdaine Marrickville 23
Mrs Diane Duff Batemans Bay 21
Miss Doreen Levensmith Batemans Bay 20
Mrs Penny Saxton Goulburn 20
Miss Fiona Harvey Marrickville 20
Ms Leanne Matthews Paddington 20
15 years and over
Mrs Beverly Seaman Crookwell 19
Mr David Farrell Linthorpe Street 19
Ms Robyn Howie Surry Hills 17
Ms Meropy Konitsas Head Office 17
Ms Michelle Richardson Head Office 15
Mrs Cheryl Peris Bathurst 15
Ms Maryann Peterson Northern Suburbs 15
Mrs Margaret Scott Marrickville 15
10 years and over
Miss Carmen Topacio Paddington 14
Mrs Jenny Lewis Hurstville 14
Mrs Purnima Chand Paddington 14
Mrs Carol Muldoon Bathurst 14
Ms Doris Lam Fong Redfern 13
Ms Nhuong Tran Marrickville 13
Ms Al Phu Woolloomooloo 13
Ms Teresa Sathananthan Woolloomooloo 13
Miss Samantha Knight Paddington 13
Miss Michelle Briscoe Woolloomooloo 12
Mrs Ritu Gupta Surry Hills 12
Miss Ronwyn Clarke SCAN 11
Mrs Bilkay Kitapli Surry Hills 11
Ms Louise Casey Petersham 11
Ms Khadijeh Emamvardi Erskineville 11
Ms Karen Shannon Goulburn 11
Ms Alice Greenwood Linthorpe Street 11
Mr Behrooz Arzani Ngallia 11
Mrs Harminder Kaur Waterloo 11
Mrs Rama Sama Marrickville 10
Ms Kay Turner Granville 10
Mrs Leean Weekes Goulburn 10
Mrs Anne Reeves Crookwell 10
Miss Suet PONG Pyrmont 10
Mrs Lynette Budin Hurstville 10
And a special congratulations to Sally Waterford (Manager of
SDN’s Partnerships with Parents program) who was awarded
an OAM in the Prime Minister’s June Honours List for her
services to the community of the Southern Highlands.
Parents pitch in
A number of our centres have strong parent committees.
These groups are valued within the SDN family and can
have associations with us lasting many years.
* The Family Fun Day Committee at SDN Northern
Suburbs raised $6,000 from a raffle and silent auctions
of the children’s artwork last September.
* Again in September, SDN Crookwell preschool held
their Smart Art evening at the local art gallery. Retired
auctioneer Peter Macdougall (a parent and guest)
presided over the auction.
* SDN Bluebell’s Betterment Committee made a large
vegetable garden for the children.
* The SDN Erskineville parents not only contributed their
time and efforts to fundraising via a Bunnings’ sausage
sizzle, they have also taken the staff out to several
dinners.
* SDN Mosman held a Family Working Bee in October
where families rolled up their sleeves and helped varnish
tables and reinvigorate the garden spaces.
* SDN Surry Hills held an Open Day / Auction for which
families and the local community donated goods and
services. A local auctioneer ran the event. This, coupled
with a BBQ, raised over $8,000 for the centre.
22 the best start in life

Financial Highlights
The surplus for the SDN parent entity for the year ended
30 June 2008 was $11,443. This includes the net profit from
the sale of SDN’s two properties in Forest Lodge. When
consolidated with the Building Fund, the result for the year
is a deficit of $138,021. Although the Building Fund still
maintains a balance of $293,387 at the end of year, SDN
has committed to approximately $174,000 of projects to be
funded by the Building Fund in the following financial year.
SDN’s cash flow has continued to grow during the financial
year, with total receipts of $29,008,022 for the year.
Revenue has increased in 2007/08 to a total of $24,205,147,
an increase of 11% on the previous year. Part of this growth
is due to new programs, particularly the Inclusion Support
Subsidy program which commenced in May 2007, and part
relates to unspent government grants deferred from the
previous financial year.
Revenue from child care fees has remained static in dollar
terms when compared to the previous financial year. Income
from child care fees and Child Care Benefit contributed 61%
of SDN’s revenue while income from government-funded
programs now makes up 35% of revenue, up from 30%
in the previous year.
SDN is grateful for the continuing assistance provided from
private funding sources, particularly the Vincent Fairfax
Family Foundation, the Jenour Foundation and the late
Lady (Nancy) Fairfax, AO OBE.
The majority of SDN’s expenditure continues to relate to
the cost of employment, representing 73% in the financial
year. Administration overhead costs were 4% of total
expenditure. Service delivery costs have increased from
7% to 10% during the financial year, and relate largely
to the Brighter Futures early intervention program
reaching capacity.
On the balance sheet, SDN’s assets are valued at
$29,260,396. Property, plant and equipment make
up $28,036,651 of the total amount. Cash is high at
$10,508,412 due to the receipt of grant funding in
advance and funds approved for rollover to 2008/09.
Cash flow
$30,000,000
Revenue
Expenditure
$25,000,000
$20,000,000
$15,000,000
$10,000,000
$5,000,000
Child care fees and
Child Care Benefit
Government funding
Private funding
Other
Employee costs
Occupancy expenses
Administration expenses
Depreciation expenses
Service delivery expenses
0
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
SDN’s financial records for the year ended 30 June 2008 were audited by PKF Sydney in accordance with Australian
Accounting Standards and obligations under funding agreements, the Corporations Act and the Charitable Fundraising Act.
A copy of SDN’s Annual Financial Report is available on request or via download at www.sdn.org.au
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 23

Governance Report
Governance Statement
SDN Children’s Services Inc is a not-for-profit company
limited by guarantee, incorporated under the Corporations
Act 2001. Its Board of Directors is responsible for the
governance of the organisation and for decisions affecting
its future direction.
The Board is committed to ensuring the organisation fulfills
its mission of:
• providing high quality education and care for children
0-5 years of age
• strengthening families, local communities and the
children’s services sector.
Appointment of Directors
Directors must be Members of the organisation. The Articles
of Association stipulate that every Member undertakes to
contribute to the assets of the organisation in the event
that it is wound up, such amount not exceeding $10. The
Board shall consist of no more than 15 and no less than
10 Directors. All Directors are non-executive members of
the Board and work in a voluntary capacity.
The Board’s Role
The Board:
• appoints the CEO
• sets the scope of the CEO’s authority to establish
programs, budget, administer finances and otherwise
manage the organisation
• exercises due diligence, fulfills fiduciary responsibility and
guards against undue risk
• develops the strategic plan in association with the CEO
and senior staff and monitors its implementation through
the monthly report to the Board
• develops and approves the organisation’s business plan
• approves the annual budget and ensures sufficient
funds are available to meet financial commitments
and obligations as they fall due – monthly financial
information is obtained from the Finance Committee
• ensures the organisation complies with statutory and
regulatory standards set by government
• establishes Board Committees as required to oversee
aspects of the organisation’s operations. SDN currently
has five committees: Finance, History, Nominations,
Research Ethics, and Strategic Planning
• reviews all policies.
Responsibilities of Management
The Board has delegated to the chief executive the day-today
running of the organisation, its child care centres,
programs, services and consultancy operations.
Board Meetings
The Board meets at least 10 times per year: during 2007-08
it met 11 times, plus one Extraordinary Board Meeting.
Board papers are sent to Directors in advance. The Board
receives presentations from senior management on a
regularly scheduled basis.
Risk Management
During early 2006-07, the Board directed senior
management to develop a risk management plan for all
levels of the organisation. During 2007-08, this plan was
completed and approved by the Board.
Code of Conduct
The child care industry is necessarily highly regulated and
Directors, senior management and staff are aware of the
laws with which they must comply, and the many policies
and protocols SDN has in place to ensure this. The Board
also ensures there are adequate mechanisms to deal with
complaints, conflict of interest and client confidentiality.
Directors and Officers Insurance
The organisation holds Directors and Officers Insurance.
Number of Meetings attended during the
year to June 30 2008
Name
Year
Appointed
Board Finance
EBN*
A B A B
Mr Darren Mitchell
(President)
1996 10 11 10 12
Mr Tony Gall
(Treasurer)
2006 9 11 Y 10 12
Mr Kerry Bennett
(Vice President)
2003 9 11 9 12
Ms Susan Salter
(Vice President)
2005 10 11 Y 11 12
Mrs Ruth Armytage AM 1992 11 11
Mrs Susan Braham 2001 10 11 Y 8 12
Mrs Effie Bland 1991 11 11 Y
Dr Joy Goodfellow 1999 9 11 Y
Mr John King** 2000 7 8 5 9
Mrs Genevieve Kirton 1989 7 11
Mrs Jenifer Longworth 1987 10 11
Mrs Ann Mitchell 1988 8 11
Mr Richard Pannell*** 2003 5 6
A = Number of meetings attended
B = Number of meetings held during the time the director held
office during the year
* Extraordinary Board Meeting
** Mr King was granted a Leave of Absence from the Board of
three months
*** Mr Richard Pannell retired from the Board in January 2008
24 the best start in life

Board of Directors
The Directors in office during the financial year were:
200
8
Mr Darren Mitchell, President
Board Member since 1996
Bachelor of Economics (Sydney),
Master of Economics (Sydney),
Chair of Strategic Planning Committee
Mrs Ruth Armytage, AM
Board Member since 1992
Diploma of SKTC, Chair Brighter
Futures Reference Group
Mr Kerry Bennett
Vice President
Board Member since 2003
Bachelor of Laws (Sydney)
Mrs Effie Bland
Board Member since 1991
Chair of History Committee
Mrs Susan Braham
Board Member since 2001, (President
2002-05), Bachelor of Arts (Sydney),
Teachers Certificate (Auckland),
Chair of Nominations Committee
Mr Tony Gall
Honorary Treasurer, Board
Member since 2006
Chartered Accountant, FCA,
Chair of Finance Committee
Dr Joy Goodfellow
Board Member since 1999, PhD
(Sydney), SDN Research Consultant,
Chair of Research Ethics Committee
Mr John King
Board Member since 2000
(Honorary Treasurer 2001-2007),
Chartered Accountant
Mrs Genevieve Kirton
Board Member since 1989
(President 1999-2001), Diploma
of Physiotherapy, Member of the
Australian Physiotherapy Association,
Chair of Refurbishment Taskforce
Mrs Jenifer Longworth
Board Member since 1987
Diploma of Fine Arts
Mrs Ann Mitchell
Board Member since 1988
Diploma of Nurses Administration
Board, Member of Trained
Nurses Association
Mr Richard Pannell
Retired from the Board January
2008, Board Member since 2003
Retired Marketing and
Advertising Executive
Ms Susan Salter
Vice President, Board Member
since 2005, Bachelor of Arts
(Sydney), Diploma of Financial
Markets, Communication
Consultant
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 25

Acknowledgements
Private Funding
The Jenour Foundation: $10,000 towards the Aboriginal
Scholarships Program
Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation: donation for the Early
Childhood Education Scholarships for Aboriginal Children
Telstra: $2,182 under Telstra Kids Fund Grant for SDN
Northern Suburbs Child & Family Learning Centre and
SDN Marrickville Child & Family Learning Centre
Donations
The late Lady (Nancy) Fairfax, AO, OBE: donation
towards the Joan Fry Scholarship Fund (as part of
a long term commitment)
Donations to the Building Fund
Mrs E.M. Aitken
Mrs R.O. Albert
Mrs R. Armytage AM
Mrs S. Braham
Mrs R.D. Bridges OBE
Mrs P. Charles
Mrs H. Davidson
Mrs H.E. Fairfax
Mrs P.A. Finlay
Mrs P. France
Mrs A.V.S. Gall
Mrs T. Godhard AM
Mrs B. Greenfield
Mrs J. Grimsdale
Mrs H. Hannam
Mrs J. Harvey Sutton
Mrs M. Hill
Dr L. Huntsman
Mrs P. Lander
Mrs N. Lefmann
Mrs C. Levine
Mrs J. Longworth
Mr N.J. Longworth
Mrs S. Mathews
Mrs J. Milne
Mrs A. Mitchell
Mrs M. O’Donnell
Ms P.J. Pearce
Mr I.R. Philip
Ms J. Poole
Mr J. Reid AO
Ms S. Salter
Mrs B. Selby
Mrs D. Southwell-Keely
Mrs H.M. Street
Mrs W.A. Talty
Mrs P.M. Tanner
Government Funding
Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing,
Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
$2,322,170 under the Inclusion Support Program for the
Cumberland Blacktown, Inner Sydney and Northern Sydney
Inclusion Support Agencies
$3,421,577 under the Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS)
Program for Sydney Inner, Sydney North and Sydney
Central West
$98,000 for the Local Answers Family Resource
Centre Program
$99,000 for the Local Answers Partnerships with
Parents Program
$99,750 for the Child Care Links Project – Riverwood
Child Care Connections under the Commonwealth’s
Early Childhood Initiative
$16,000 for transition to Child Care Management System
$120,520 Stepping Stones Project under the Indigenous
Children Program
NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and
Home Care
$552,247 under the Early Childhood Intervention Service
for the Cumberland Prospect Area, Extending Services
and Innovation
NSW Department of Education and Training
$82,136 under the Community Grants Programs,
Intervention Support Program, Young Children with
Disabilities component
NSW Department of Community Services
$3,429,007 under the Children’s Services Program for:
Batemans Bay Preschool, Bathurst, Crookwell Preschool
Occasional Care, Crookwell Preschool, Cumberland Focus
Resource Project, Erskineville, Focus Support Service
Resource Centre, Goulburn, Hurstville, Linthorpe St,
Marrickville, Mosman, Ngallia, Northern Suburbs,
Paddington, Parent Resource Program-Poet’s Corner
Outreach, Pyrmont, Redfern, Riverwood, SCAN Inner West,
SCAN South East, Surry Hills, Waterloo, Woolloomooloo,
Inner & Eastern Sydney Child & Family Interagency,
Northern Sydney Early Literacy
$157,062 under the Families First Program – Early
Childhood Intervention Mobile Playgroup project
$3,267,958 under the Brighter Futures Early Intervention
Program (EIP) for Central Sydney, Inner West, South East,
Batemans Bay and Moruya
$87,673 under the NSW Preschool Viability Funding for
Batemans Bay and Crookwell
Other government agencies
$5,820 under Illawarra Children’s Services SCAN Scheme
$8,000 under MigrantLink for Families NSW Seeding Grants
Project – Aboriginal families in North Sydney
$909 NSW Department of Housing contribution to the
SDN Woolloomooloo plaque
In Kind Contributions
W&F Pascoe Pty Ltd for donating the extra cost ($1,740) to
digitise all SDN’s photographic collection (beyond the 2006
$6,000 National Library Community Heritage Grant)
City of Sydney Council for Accommodation Grants for
Waterloo, Pyrmont and Surry Hills valued at $247,200
Pro bono advice from public affairs firm Hawker Britton
Pro bono advice from Mr Niall Healy, PricewaterhouseCoopers
26 the best start in life

We thank everyone
who gave permission
for their stories and
photos to be used. in
this annual report
SDN ANNUAL REPORT 2008 27

SDN CHILDREN’S SERVICES INC ABN 23 000 014 335
Level 2, 86-90 Bay Street, Broadway NSW 2007
Ph: 02 9213 2400 Fax: 02 9213 2401
Email: info@sdn.org.au Website: www.sdn.org.au
Patron: Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC, CVO, Governor of NSW
Designed by Equation Corporate Design.